Screw-driver having adjustable handle.



W. S. THOMSON. SCREW DRIVER HAVING ADJUSTABLE HANDLE.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.10, 1910.-

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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W. S. THOMSON. SCREW DRIVER HAVING ADJUSTABLE HANDLE. PPPPPPPPPPPP IL'ED 0M 10, 1910.

1,000,05 1 Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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706K 27 QMWGK UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. win-1AM s. 'rHoMson, or PLANTSVILLE, CO NNEGT IGUT, assrenoa To run 11. 1).

SMITH AND QOMPATVY, OF PLANTSVILLE, CO NNECTIQUT, A CORP QRA TIONI'. '7

v v To all whom it concern."

- simplicity I members.

SGREW-DIRIVER HAVING ADJUSTABLE HANDLE.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plantsville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have made cer-v tain new and useful Improvements in Screw! Drivers Having Adjustable Handles, of which the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to improvements in screw drivers having adjustable handles, and the objects of my improvements are convenience and efficiency in use.

' Inthe accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved screw driver. -Fig. 2 is a similar view, turned 90 degrees from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with the handle adjusted to ananglerof 90 degrees relatively to the blade member. Figs. 4 and 5, are side elevations of the rear and front handle members, respectively, in the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. .6 is a view of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 3 with the handle members opened out 180 degrees so as-to be in alinement and at an angle of 90 degrees to the blade, and the alternative position-for one of the handle membersin alinement with the blade member indicated by broken lines. Fig. 7 is an edge view of one of the handle members, Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the blade member. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the head of the same turned 90 degrees. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are views corresponding to Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of modifications of the parts shown in the saidfigures. Figs. 13,.14, and 15 are views 'corresponding to Figs. 2, 1, and 3 respectively, of a modification of my screwdriver. Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the handle on the line w a: of Fig. 13, 'on an. enlarged scale. Figs. 17 and 18 are elevational views of the blade member shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

screw driver, and B is the handle member, and C is a hinge joint uniting the said two The said blademember A comprises a blade20 at one end, a head 21 at the other end-provided with a joint member 22, and a shank 23 intermediate the said ends, all generally in alinement. v The said handle member B comprises two essentially similar handle parts 24 suitable for being brought into abutment in a radial plane relatively to the said joint C and so shapedas Application nld October 10, 1910. Serial No. 5se,172.

S. i THoM- and economy in construction andv A is the blade member of my improved speciflcation of Letters m 1 P t t 3,1 11

to form when so united a two part handle operatlve as an ordinary handle and in an ordinary manner. The said handle part 24 comprise'sa body member 26 having at one end and integral therewith a joint member 25 and has a plane surface 27 on the side adacent the mating member where the two members meet and are in abutment as shown in Fig. 1, and has enlargements suitable for a bolster 28 and butt 29 and each has a wooden handle scaleD, heldin place by rivets 30, all of which elements are suitably shaped to combine and operate as an ordinaryhandle when the said two parts are inabutment.- The said joint member 22 on the blade member A comprises a tongue extending upwardly from the said head 21,

ispierced by a hole 33, the outer end 34 bemg semi-cir'cular and concentric with the hole 33, and is faced off on each side'to provide a bearing surface 31 and which surface is extended so as to provide a tangential shoulder 32. The said shoulder 32 as shown in Fig. 8 is disposedto the left of the longitudinal plane passing through the axis of the said hole" 33, and the corresponding shoulder limiting'the bearing surface 31 on the opposite side from that shown in said Fig. 8 is to the right of the said plane. The said joint member 25 of the handle part 24 consists of a tongue that is essentially the counterpart of the said joint member 22 of the blade member A and consists of a generally circular plate-like member having a central hole 35 and a bearing surface 36 and is suitably ofi'setso that thesaid hole will register with the hole 33, the surface 36. will engage with one of the bearing surfaces 31, and the plane surface 27 may be brought an extension of the plane of the said plane surfaces27 passingthrough the axis of the said hole 35. The outer wall 37 of the said handle part meets the said circular outline ofthe tongue 25 tangentially and generally parallel with the said plane surface 27 and thereby forms an engaging wall or stop suitable for engaging with the said shoulder 32 so as to limit the pivotal motion of the said handle part 24 relatively to the said blade member A. A bolt E and nutF, the latter own as a wing nut,- serve to lock the said to the 90 degree imits as determined by the said shoulders '32, and. which limits permit ofessentlally 180 degrees of movement ofeach of the said 'handleparts As described the said handle parts 24 may be adjusted so as, to form essentially a single ordinary'handle asshown in Fi s. 1 and 2, or they'may both be turnedtoget er 9( degrees so as to form a single ofisethandle as shown' in Fig. 3, or the two handle parts. may be turned each to the 90'degree limit in opposite directions so as to/ be 180 degrees'apart or in" alinement as shown in Fig. 6," or oneonly maybe turned osition, leaving the other in. position of almement with the blade as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 6, or they may "adjusted to positions? intermediate mate limiting positionsv mentioned.-

In the modifications shown in Figs. 10, 11,

. and 12, the bearing faces are provlded with looking joints and recesses' suitable for co--' operation -in looking the handle parts 24 and blade member A, in predetermined positions which "are'preferably, as shown, po- I .sitions in alinement: and 90 degrees thereto,

there beingl prov-idedfor'this purpose a set of four locking points'or projections 38 on the bearing surfaces 315's aimed at 90 degree intervals, and correspon mg'recesses '39 on the said bearing surfaces 36 suitable for engaging therewith. y

In the modification shown in Fi .13, the; handle B is a solid handle and is oined to; the :blade member A by a half-joint C the joint members 25 and 22' bein' 'suitably*ofl-' set so as to bring the said han e DPin alinement with the said blade member Afl'th'e said members'being suitable for adj nstment to the 90 de ee position asshown in Fig. 15, or interme iate thereto-, in case the enga ing surf-aces are plane or it may be desirab e i to provide such surfaces as 31 and 36 with looking projections 38 and recesses 39 and limiting thepositions of adjustment to the i, position in allnement' and QU'degrees'thereto;

My screwdriver as described is suitable for the application offia long leverage in A to turning and. using both hands and atthe 1 same time permits of effectively guiding the blade in its-engagement with the slot of a I screw to be turned and 'isalso suitable for permitting access to a screw 'in- -ca'ses in whichthe full lengthwith the handle in alinement with the. blade could notbe used. I claim as 'my invention:

. L A r w driver oomprisinga bladeand a two part handle andeach' of the said parts individually adjustableto different angular positions reiatively to the said blade, tlie 2 said blade and handlejparts having-engag v moonci bva locking bolt, and the said sur aces provided with codperatin locking means com prising projections an recesses held inengagement by the said locking screw.

2. A screw driver comprism a blade and a two part handle, the lower en s of the bandle sections pivotallyconnected to the upper end of the said blade by a common axial body whereb the said handle as a unit and the said han le sections individually may be turned relatively to the said blade,'coiiperating contacting surfacesonthe said handle sections and blade, sto lu s on said blade 1 codperating withtlre si' e o the said handle;

sections to limit the an ar movement 'of the said handle toward t e'bl'ade to a 90 degree angular ipositionof ad'ustmentyengagmg members on said sur aces comprising projections ono'ne surface and recesses on the other coiiperating at said90 degreeposition when inengagement to preventangular movement of the said blade and handle, and the said axial boltprovided with a nut whereby the said surface and engaging mem- T here are secured in contacting and engaging position. 1 1

3. A screw driver comprising'a blade and a two part handle having their ends pivotall connected on a common axis and'pro-' vide with coiiperative' locking-omeans, the said handle havmg the handle dy divided symmetrically into the said handle parts along an axial. plane, andthe said locking ;means permissive of adjusting the said handle as a unit to positions in alinementwith the blade and degrees thereto on 'each side of tire said plane, and permitting alternatively of symmetrical angular 'separation of the said handle parts by 180degrees, and of an angular separation'ofthe' same of 90-degrees. 4. A screw driver a two part handle having their ends pivcomprisinga-bladeandb otally connected on acommon axis and prhvided with coiiperative' lockin means, the

said handle havingthe handle ody divided symmetrically into the said handle parts along an axial plane, and tliesaid locking means permissive of adjusting the'said hanthe said plane, and permitting alternatively d h r -t y 180 g s, as jo w 1,

dle as a unit to ositions in alinement withtlie blade and 90 egrees thereto on'eacli side'of 'of symmetrical angular separation (it the angular separation of the. same of 9.l)"idf,

reesyand the saidhandle parts .providdd withf'liandle scales;

wrnnmn signonson, 

